The game ended with one swing. Nathaniel Lowe's two-run homer in the ninth inning lifted Cincinnati to a 9-8 victory over Detroit, capping a wild back-and-forth affair that featured seven home runs and multiple lead changes.
Matt McLain powered Cincinnati's comeback with two home runs and four RBIs. His first blast in the fifth inning scored Myers to cut Detroit's lead to 5-2. His second homer in the seventh tied the game at 5-5, scoring Myers again. McLain finished 2-for-4 with a walk, carrying a .213 average with two homers and eight RBIs this season.
The decisive moment came in the ninth after Detroit had regained the lead. Lowe's walkoff homer scored Steer and completed Cincinnati's rally from an 8-7 deficit. Earlier, Lowe had homered in the sixth to make it 5-3. The first baseman went 2-for-5 with three runs scored and three RBIs.
Kenley Jansen took the loss for Detroit, allowing two runs on two hits in two-thirds of an inning. His ERA stands at 3.68. Graham Ashcraft earned the win with one scoreless inning of relief, carrying a 1.38 ERA.
Cincinnati improved to 16-9 and maintained first place in their division. Detroit fell to 14-12 despite a strong offensive showing that included homers from Greene, Báez, Torkelson and Carpenter. Báez sits five home runs away from 200 for his career.